Ohio and Florida Tractor Trailor Accidents Kill Innocent Victims
A 66-year-old man was killed this week in a tractor trailer crash in Lima, Ohio. The man was driving his van when a tractor trailer driver failed to stop at a stop sign and collided into the decedent’s van. The man was killed on impact and the tractor trailer driver was arrested for vehicular homicide.
Failure to yield to traffic signals proves driver negligence, as the driver failed to use the highest degree of care when he ran the stop sign. In this case, the tractor trailer driver’s action, or inaction, was allegedly the sole cause of this collision, making him and/or his employer liable for the truck accident. Driver negligence is the leading cause of all traffic accidents. Unfortunately, many crashes are fatal, like this one.
Two weeks prior to this tractor trailer crash in Ohio, another similar tractor trailer accident occurred in Florida. In Moore Haven, Florida, a tractor trailer driver failed to stop at a stop sign and ran into a van. In this crash six people were thrown from their vehicle and instantly killed. Additionally, 50 gallons of diesel fuel were spilled on the two-lane highway. As in the Ohio case above, the tractor trailer driver was at fault. Both the driver and his employer will most likely be held liable for the damages incurred pursuant to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
Studies show that every 16 minutes a person is either killed or sustains injury in an accident involving either tractor trailers, semi-trucks or 18-wheelers. Studies also show that most of these accidents are attributed to truck driver negligence or failure to comply with trucking industry standards. In addition, product defects and mechanical defects, like brake failure, are also common causes of large truck accidents. In sum, over 40 percent of all fatal large truck accidents are caused by truck driver error, such as speeding, fatigue, and traffic violations.
When a tractor trailer accident occurs, it is important that you immediately contact a tractor trailer crash lawyer. With large truck accidents, and especially those where truck driver negligence was likely the cause, the trucking company and their insurance carriers send investigators to gather as much information as possible as quick as they can, usually within hours. You need an experienced truck accident attorney to aggressively represent you in the same immediate fashion.
As a founding partner of the St. Louis, Missouri based Personal Injury Firm, Page Cagle, I aggressively represent truck accident victims every day. Immediately after a crash, we send out an accident investigation team to inspect the accident scene and collect evidence, just like the trucking company does.
If you or a loved one is involved in a Missouri truck accident, call me for a free consultation. I am happy to discuss your legal options and rights. A consultation gives me a chance to evaluate your case and determine a course of action and gives you a chance to get answers to any questions or concerns you may have without paying anything. You pay nothing until you win your case.
You can reach me 24 hours a day at 314.322.8515 or toll free at 1.800.500.INJURY (4658). You can also email me at john@pagecagle.com or visit my website for more information.
